Twelve enthusiastic juniors checked in bright and early for a wonderful morning filled with exciting chess matches. We are especially pleased to welcome two newcomers to our group, Tishitha and Arthur. We truly hope they enjoyed their experience and will continue to join us every Saturday for many more engaging and fun-filled chess sessions.
This weeks theme is all about Pawns:-
They define the shape of the game.
Once moved, they can’t go back—so every pawn move is a commitment.
Types of Pawn Structures
Here are the most common ones you should recognize:–
Pawn Chain
Diagonal line of pawns supporting each other. Attack the base!
Isolated Pawn
A pawn with no adjacent pawns. Weak but can offer dynamic play.
Doubled Pawns
Two pawns on the same file. Often weak, but can control key squares.
If you are going to accept doubled pawns, you should try to get something in return.
The Backward Pawn
A pawn behind others that can’t advance safely. Backward pawns are important for strategical reasons, mainly because they are a structural weakness that can be targeted and attacked.
Passed Pawns
A ‘passed pawn’ is a pawn with no opposing pawns to prevent it from advancing to the eighth rank
No enemy pawns block its path to promotion. Very powerful in endgames.
Pawns on b5, c4, and e5 are passed pawns. Black’s pawn on d4 is passed.
En Passant
Your opponent moves a pawn two squares forward from its starting position, landing next to your pawn. You then have the immediate opportunity to capture that pawn as if it had only moved one square forward. You must make the en passant capture on the very next move. If you don’t, the opportunity disappears.
First week of Ladder:-
results and positions
Rules
- Only one Ladder game permitted per session,
- Three points for a win, 2 points for a draw and 1 point for turning up!
- Those on equal points listed in Alphabetical order.
Wins today for Michal, Luke, Tishitha, and Lewis, each showcasing impressive skill and determination in their matches. Draws were recorded for Gagan, Rowan, Advik, Arthur, and Austin, reflecting closely contested games where both sides demonstrated great effort and resilience.
Game of the Day
Two outstanding players engaged in an intense battle delivering a performance that was truly a joy to witness. Their skill and precision were evident throughout the match, marked by an impressive display of talent and strategy. Remarkably, there were very few mistakes made by either competitor, highlighting their exceptional focus and expertise in the game.
Well done to both players!
Mid Week Quiz
Quiz 1 answers must be submitted by Saturday, the 27th. Quiz 2 will be posted during this week and students will be given a full two weeks to complete it.
Optional 'take home' Quiz sheets.
These are available on the display table for your convenience, and you are more than welcome to take a different copy each week. Please make sure to complete the sheets by writing your Name and answers clearly on them, and then hand them back to me once finished.
